Yesterday evening, D23: The Official Disney Fan Club held its annual “Light Up the Season” event on the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank, where D23 members enjoyed a festive night of fun and entertainment.
I had the pleasure of attending “Light Up the Season” this year and can say I had a wonderful time. Arriving at the Disney lot, I found signage pointing me in the right direction for check-in at the D23 tables.
All “Light Up the Season” attendees received this attractive, double-sided The Muppet Christmas Carol ornament in celebration of the film’s 30th anniversary.
After lining up with other D23 members to wait for the event to begin, D23’s Michael Vargo started the countdown and guests began to enter the “Light Up the Season” area.
As I began to wander around, I found photo ops, a crafts area, a Disney Fine Art booth, and a popcorn stand.
The map and schedule for D23’s “Light Up the Season” 2022 are viewable below.
One of the most exciting things about the event was the screening schedule in the Disney Studios lot’s main movie theater. I was extremely excited to watch The Muppet Christmas Carol on the big screen for the first time in 30 years (and thrilled to find that D23 was showing the new extended cut with the song “When Love Is Gone” restored back into the film), and it was also really fantastic to see The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special in the theater as well.
Throughout the evening, Mickey and Minnie Mouse posed for photos with guests in front of the Disney lot’s giant Christmas tree.
I also spotted the one and only Donald Duck dressed in his wintertime best and greeting his adoring public with cheer.
Last but definitely not least, Santa Goofy was available for photos in front of a colorful “Light Up the Season” backdrop.
There were also carnival rides, food trucks, and challenging trivia contests on the event’s main stage.
And speaking of the stage, the Disney Cast Member choir called MeloD23 (which counts Director of the Disney Archives Becky Cline among its members) appeared near the beginning of the event. I watched them perform the deleted song “The Bells of St. Bartholomew” from Walt Disney’s animated classic The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.
"The Bells of St. Bartholomew" performed by MeloD23 at "Light Up the Season" D23 event 2022:
On the other side of the lot, in front of the enormous Team Disney building, guests could enjoy live performances by Mostly Kosher and Holiday Harmony, Walt and Mickey in the “Partners” statue were dressed up for the holidays, and there was even a train ride!
Exploring more of this area, I found Mickey and Minnie standee-style photo op, a Loungefly booth, and some fun-looking carnival games.
At the Frank G. Wells building stood the Hearthstone Tavern, where guests could imbibe some adult beverages while enjoying the atmosphere.
I checked out more booths on my way back to the other section of the event.
The lot’s Walt Disney Studio Store was open for shopping during “Light Up the Season,” but the wait to get inside was never very short. Guests could also visit the commissary for a taste of Walt’s famous chili and cornbread.
This sold-out event was very memorable and seemed to put everyone in attendance into an extremely cheerful holiday spirit. So if you didn’t get a chance to be there, I’d definitely keep my eyes open when tickets go up for sale once again next year. As always, be sure to visit D23’s official website for more information on everything that the Official Disney Fan Club has to offer.
